Connect to the Internet Using Wi-Fi
Every iPad supports Wi-Fi wireless networking, enabling you to connect to the Internet using nearby access points; you may have a Wi-Fi network set up in your house or office, or you might go to a nearby “hotspot,” usually a coffee shop or restaurant. A Wi-Fi network usually covers the space of a house or small building. Compare that to cellular wireless (more on that shortly), which is designed to offer miles of coverage.
Once the iPad is connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can browse the Web, send and receive email, view maps, and perform other tasks that require an Internet connection. Wi-Fi also lets you interact with other devices and computers sharing the network connection; for example, you can play a game against another iPad owner or control the music playback of a computer running iTunes.
Choose a Wi-Fi access point
When the iPad requires an Internet connection, such as for accessing email or a Web page, it checks to see if an active Wi-Fi network is within range. A dialog appears with a list of nearby networks (Figure 17). Tap the name of a network you want to join, type its password if required, and then tap the Join button on the keyboard.
Note
Many public Wi-Fi hotspots don’t require a password to join the network but do need you to log in using a Web form once you’re connected. The iPad should automatically display a login form. If not, after you get onto the network, go to Safari and enter any valid Web address. The login page should appear if you need to sign in (or pay) for access.
Tip
If you’d rather not be interrupted by a pop-up list of networks, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and then turn off the Ask to Join Networks option.
Tip
Exercise good judgment when joining open, unprotected Wi-Fi networks. It’s possible (and easy, for those who are savvy) to intercept the data passing between the iPad and the base station running the network. A nefarious network owner—or even someone at the next table in a coffee shop—could collect the data stream and mine it for things like passwords and credit card numbers. Unless you can vouch for the network owner, avoid paying bills or making purchases on public networks.
Connect to a Wi-Fi network manually
The iPad is helpful in displaying and connecting to available Wi-Fi networks, but there are times when you will want to link up with one manually—when you accidentally connected to the wrong network or the owner has hidden the network name for security, for instance. Here’s how to connect using the Settings app (Figure 18).
1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. From the list that appears under Choose a Network, tap a network name.
3. If a password is required, type it into the Password field and then tap the Join button.
The network name gains a checkbox, and a Wi-Fi signal strength icon appears in the upper-left corner of the screen.
To connect to a network that isn’t broadcasting its name, or if the iPad isn’t listing the one you expect, do the following (Figure 19):
1. In the Wi-Fi screen, tap the Other button.
2. Type the network name in the Name field.
3. Tap the Security button and specify which type of encryption the network is using. If you don’t know, try WPA2 first, followed by WEP (which is older and no longer secure, but still widely used).
4. Enter the network’s password in the Password field that appears.
5. Tap Join to establish a connection.
Tip
The iPad remembers Wi-Fi network names and settings, so the next time you’re within range of a network you’ve previously joined, a connection is automatically made.
Disconnect from a Wi-Fi network
If you accidentally join the wrong network, it’s easy to sever the connection. In Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the information button 
and then tap Forget this Network.
Turn off Wi-Fi
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and set the Wi-Fi switch to Off. Or, bring up Control Center (swipe up from the bottom of the screen) and tap the Wi-Fi button. (More on Control Center later.) You may want to do this when conserving battery power or if you’re in an area where you know a Wi-Fi network isn’t available.